The act of living vicariously though one of your own girl/boyfriends because they chose to abandon you and spend quality-time with someone else. It is widely believed "compersion" is a self-preservation technique developed by individuals that self-identify as polyamorous.

Jack has developed a keen sense of compersion to maintain his sanity after his girlfriend Jill, went to shag her other boyfriend John.

A feeling of joy when a loved one invests in and takes pleasure from another romantic or sexual relationship.

Commentary: Compersion can be thought of as the opposite of "jealousy;" it is a positive emotional reaction to a loved one's other relationship. The term was coined by the Kerista Commune. It differs from candaulism in that compersion does not specifically refer to joy regarding the sexual activity of one's partner, but refers instead to joy at the relationship with another romantic and/or sexual partner. It is analagous to the feeling of joy a parent feels when their children marry or that best friends feel for each other when they are happy in a romantic relationship.

I feel compersion when I see my husband come home happy from spending time with his girlfriend. His happiness brings me happiness

Often a term used among polyamorous (openly nonmonogamous) people. Often called the antonym of jealousy. Seeing your partner/s get a crush on, hook up with, fall in love with, or in any other way romantically bond with other people, and feeling deep happiness, joy, and love for them.

"You're in love with Parker, don't you feel jealous that he's started dating Emily?"
"Actually, no, I feel compersion. She's really cool. He lights up to see her. When I see him that happy, I actually feel happy for him, not jealous."

1. Taking emotional or sexual gratification from the act or idea of a loved one or partner seeking or receiving gratification from another person.

2. A trait commonly found in people who identify as polyamorous. It is often experienced as a driving force toward polyamory and open relationships, as these are the best ways to express compersion without deception or games in a relationship.

3. A viewpoint which regards a partner as an individual with their own needs and desires, and fully accepts the independent pursuit of those desires.

4. A voyeuristic appreciation for the concept of one's partner engaging in sexual or intimate activities with a 3rd party.

5. An important component for a successful and drama-free threesome within a relationship.

6. A positive reaction in a situation that stereotypically induces a jealousy reaction.

"You're ok with your girlfriend having sex with another guy?"
"Yeah, I'm compersive. For me its kind of like watching my girlfriend in a porno, I just sit back and enjoy the scene."

"I appreciate that he finds sex elseware. Compersion takes a lot of the stress off our relationship since I'm too busy to give it up as often as he wants."

"Watching her move with him as they screwed gave me a whole new perspective on sex. I was so blown away I just had to jump in!"

"I ship out tomorrow, and I made her promise to have lots of sex while I'm gone! I dont want my baby deprived because I'm not around for a few months. Its a little weird sometimes, but I feel compersion more often than jealousy, so its really not a problem."

"Dude, arent you jealous?"
"Are you kidding? That is HOT!"

"Most of my pleasure in relationships comes from my partner's enjoyment. It makes me happy when they enjoy themselves, and I've found that I dont even have to be the cause of their pleasure in order to enjoy it. Just knowing they're happy makes me happy." -The Dave